The moon cast a pale glow over the valley, illuminating the lifeless body of the Crimson Fang Alpha. Qin Lan remained still, his golden eyes locked onto the mysterious figure standing atop the jagged rock.
His instincts screamed danger.
The person before him wasn't just a bystander. Their presence was too calm, too controlled—as if they had expected him to kill the beast.
"Who are you?" Qin Lan's voice was cold, his fingers still stained with the Alpha's blood.
The stranger chuckled softly.
"Who I am is not important. But you... you are quite fascinating."
Their voice was neither old nor young, neither male nor female—it carried an unnatural resonance, as if layered with multiple tones.
Qin Lan narrowed his eyes. This wasn't just an ordinary cultivator.
A Dao Concealment Expert?
For someone to suppress their presence so well, they had to be at least at the Nascent Soul Realm, if not higher. That was leagues above his current power.
And yet, the stranger made no move to attack.
Instead, they tilted their head slightly. "You are different from the others who inherit the Void Bloodline."
Qin Lan stiffened.
They know about my bloodline?
Even among the Immortal Clans, the Void Bloodline was a legend—something whispered in ancient texts, feared by the Celestial Sects. Yet, this person spoke of it so casually.
He didn't answer.
Instead, he activated Void God's Breath, concealing his presence as best as he could. But the moment he did, the stranger let out an amused hum.
"Clever, but pointless. Your Void Qi is still too immature."
Qin Lan clenched his fists. This person… they were toying with him.
"What do you want?" he asked, his tone sharp.
The stranger finally stepped forward, descending from the rock in a single effortless motion. Their robes fluttered like mist, their movements light as if they barely touched the ground.
Then, they extended a hand.
"I am here to offer you a choice."
Qin Lan didn't move.
"A choice?"
The stranger nodded. "Come with me. I can guide you. Train you. Show you the true depths of the Void Immortal Path."
The offer was tempting.
Too tempting.
Qin Lan had spent his past life grasping for power, only to be betrayed. Now, he had been given a second chance. Could he trust this stranger?
His silence stretched for a long moment.
Then, he asked the one question that truly mattered.
"And if I refuse?"
The stranger smiled beneath their hood.
"Then we will meet again—sooner than you think."
With that, their form flickered—vanishing into the night like a wisp of smoke.
Qin Lan remained standing, his heart pounding.
The encounter had ended.
But deep down, he knew.
This was only the beginning.